Creative Writing MAs

[faeriedust]

Hi,

Anyone else doing a creative writing MA? Im interested to know how you are finding it or if anyone has already done one. I have just started mine - part-time though to fit round my little one.
Got a few freelance things on the go as well so fitting it all in is proving hard work!

I did an MA in creative writing in the US in the early 90's. Are you at UEA, or are you not comfortable about saying where? I loved the process of getting my MA and have no regrets about it at all.

Do you not find there's a lot of anti-MA sentiment at the moment? A lot of people seem to find the wholel idea dodgy or difficult to accept. While I suppose it's true that not everyone who does an MA can be a successful writer, I do think it's a good way to read & write intensively, and to find out if you have the talent/thick skin/persistence to pursue a career in writing.

I'm impressed your doing this with a child in the picture, but it can be done! I'd be happy to chat with you more about this if you have any questions.

Ah, here I am displaying the fruits of my MA degree with the 4,000 or so typos in my last post including "your" instead of "you're."

newcastle uni do one...where are you

hi thanks for the replies i am on the newcastle uni MA and it's still only early days but it's certainly got me on my toes and creating content (even if it's mainly just the blurb that comes out before the good stuff shows up)
yep it's difficult with my baby because she's still so young but it has freed my mind a little and opened up lots of new ideas...

What does an MA in CW entail? And what job can it get you into? Sorry just curious. Love the subject but didn't know you could study something so individual to this level.

I started one before I fell pregnant and moved countries. I absolutely loved it. It felt like real me time. So different to my job, hanging out with other like minded individuals etc, but the best thing was the discipline that it gave me to write. I have completely lost it since

Anorak, an MA in creative writing usually entails 2 yrs of intensive study of literature, plus workshops with established writers in yr chosen field, eg poetry or fiction.

The problem is that it doesn't prepare you for any jobs, and that's the crux of the debate that surrounds their worth. However, people who do MAs often do PhDs in literature later, which further prepares them for teaching at the university level,if they also publish a book. A lot of other MA grads go into publishing or other related fields, but an MA in creative writing is not a direct stepping stone to publishing or anything else.

But in the US at least, the most prominenet poets and fiction writers of the younger generation (20s and 30s), the ones who write serious literary works, tend to come out of MA programs. But there are plenty of exceptions to that rule. But, sadly, most MA grads don't make it in the conventional sense, i.e. they don't go on to publish books. Nevertheless, I think it's hard not to get something positive out of an MA, even if it's not fame and fortune.

Would you consider applying to an MA program, Anorak?

Thanks for the info. I'd LOVE to do one. But I don't have time at this stage in my life. It's something to bear in mind for later though.

FWIW one of my classmates was in her early 50s, with grown children, and that's not in the least unusual. Definitely something to bear in mind when your kids are grown, anorak.

Hi Faeriedust,
I'm pretty new to mumsnet and saw the creative writing/poetry section. I'm currently deferred from my MA while little Benjamin is under 6 months. I deferred while I was pregnant as well because of my terrible morning sickness.
I'm doing an MA at Swinburne in writing which is pretty good, the whole thing can be done online, so I can travel as well, which we plan to do soon. (moving from Melbourne to Cairns.)

I've been short-listed, had a short story published and some poetry also. Have performed in the Melbourne Overload poetry festival and won a few comps with my works. Nothing major yet....
I'm also a painter.
I'm married to another writer and trumpet player -so yes, we're really poor!!

The thing I love about my course is that i can sit down to my computer for my lectures, (they come by CD Rom,) and eat and slop food all over me, listen to music, watch Jerry Springer out of the corner of one eye and replay the lesson because I'm not paying enough attention the first time around. The other thing is that I basically can choose anything i want to write my essays and thesis on. I've written journalistic reports, philosophical essays and plan to use my big thesis to motivate myself to try all poetry forms, create new ones, (or try to anyhow,) and begin the rough draft of my first novel.

I've never been to Uni before this apart from a brief and failed stint in Advanced Art at TAFE..(young, silly, drug-adled and nuts..ruined that opportunity.) So I really don't know how I got into do my MA, but here i am. This course combines Grad cert, Grad Dip and MA in one.

I would really love to go on and do my PhD after this but i can't see that happening with two kids at home and a partner with no employment currently.. he wants to write, i want to write, we both need to work to support the family...shrugs...
Anyhow, I just wanted to introduce myself and my writing background, see if there are like-minded Mum's out there i can chat to about what i love,

Mel

Can anyone recommend a good MA in CW that can be done online? I know there's lots out there, but how do you choose?

my niece seems to think the one at UEA is vg, she is hoping to do it

Don't know if is online

Well, the UEA one is quite established, but it's not online alas.

Are you interested in fiction or poetry? If I were choosing an MA programme, I'd look first at the faculty. Which ones are you considering?

Fiction. I haven't considered anything yet. Just started looking. Needs to be online, 'cause I'm not in the UK at the moment.
Thanks for trying to help!

Lancaster University do a 'distance learning' CW MA - which has "seminars" online but then you can meet up with your fellow students for face to face sessions too.

I did that, over 2 yrs while also working. It required quite a bit of time which I had because I was single and living alone - so I could spend HOURS on it. It was my having a life substitute for those 2 yrs but I don't regret it - I had dozens of poems published and nominated for awards during that time.

Quite a high proportion of my fellow students were also published (including fiction - novels) and we all seem linked to the industry one way or another - agents, publishers, teachers of literature, etc etc...

I haven't kept up the momentum though...in fact I haven't written a poem for years. But it was a time and place thing and led me very much in the right direction...

That would be handy for me, sleepfinder. How do you get on that course at Lancaster?

Hi, I'm considering doing a Creative Writing MA at some point in the next few years, and there's a very good online on at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Just google Creative Writing MA Manchester Metropolitan University and it should come up. Then click on the bit about distance learning.

I'd love to sign up for it now, but am due another little one in March!

ps Full time is 1 year with additional year to write a novel, part time 2 yrs with additional year to write novel.

sorry D~ i didnt see your question til today - I applied via their graduate office.

all info should be online at the lancaster university website www.lancs.ac.uk/

thanks sleepfinder.